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By Buzz Trexler

Star Correspondent

Franklin Pool will remain closed for the season due to a delay in receiving a part needed to complete repairs, according to an Elizabethton Parks and Recreation social media post.

“We regret to inform our patrons that Franklin Pool will remain closed for the remainder of the season,” Director David Nanney said today on Facebook. “While our new pump system has been ordered and delivered, we are experiencing a delay with the VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) controller, which is expected to take an additional six weeks to arrive.

“Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce that the pool will reopen next season with a range of new features and improvements, including a beach entry configuration, a heater, new skimmers, and more,” the post said. “We appreciate your patience and look forward to welcoming you back to a newly renovated Franklin Pool!”

On June 24, the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Department posted on one of its social media pages that the pool, 1600 Franklin Club Drive, would be closed due to mechanical issues. The department continued to provide updates, attempting to assure the public the pool was not closing permanently, but that this was a temporary issue.

Nanney said in July the reason for the initial closure was the loss of pressure in the pool’s pump. “Rather than spending a large amount of money replacing the pump and motor system we currently have, we chose to replace the old system with the new one that is required in the plans of our pool renovation project, which is scheduled to take place in the next month or two,” he said.

In late 2023, First Tennessee Development District awarded a block grant of $630,000 to help fund improvements to Franklin Pool, including renovating the pool’s surfacing, installing new gutters, installing a heater, and a new chlorination system. The budget for the project is $1,153,948, with the city’s match being $523,948. The project is expected to be completed by December 2028.